Edinburgh International Film Festival Announces the World Premiere of Mark Gill’s ENGLAND IS MINE as the 2017 Closing Night Gala

Edinburgh International Film Festival is delighted to announce that ENGLAND IS MINE will close the 71st edition of the Festival on Sunday 2nd July, 2017 at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh.

ENGLAND IS MINE takes audiences back to 1970s Manchester, where Steven Morrissey (Jack Lowden – Dunkirk, A United Kingdom, ’71), an introverted, uncompromising teenager, finds himself frustrated with his working-class existence.

With dreams of a successful music career being dampened by his run-of-the-mill job at the local tax office, Steven finds solace in the city’s underground gig scene where he meets Linder Sterling (Jessica Brown Findlay – Downton Abbey, The Riot Club) – an intelligent, self-assured artist – who encourages him to make his ideas of superstardom a reality.

Culminating in his first meeting with Johnny Marr, ENGLAND IS MINE, is a feature length biopic based on the early life of Morrissey, the outspoken former lead singer of seminal British band The Smiths. The film is directed by Academy Award® and BAFTA Award nominee Mark Gill (The Voorman Problem) and produced by Baldwin Li (The Voorman Problem) and Orian Williams (Control). Key cast will be in attendance on Closing night.

EIFF Artistic Director Mark Adams said “Morrissey is one of Britain’s most iconic artists, and this delve into his formative years is a witty and enthralling look at a great music talent. The world premiere of ENGLAND IS MINE will be a perfect way to wrap this year’s Festival.”

Tickets will go on sale at 10 am on Friday 12 May through the EIFF website. For more information visit Edinburgh International Film Festival.

THE 71ST EDITION OF EIFF RUNS FROM 21 JUNE - 2 JULY

About Edinburgh International Film Festival
Established in 1947, Edinburgh International Film Festival is renowned around the world for discovering and promoting the very best in international cinema - and for heralding and debating changes in global filmmaking. Intimate in its scale, ambitious in its scope, and fuelled by pure passion for cinema in all its manifestations, EIFF seeks to spotlight the most exciting and innovative new film talent, in a setting steeped in history.

Notable films premiered in recent years have included: HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE, AMY, FINDING DORY, 45 YEARS, A MOST WANTED MAN, COLD IN JULY, THE IMPOSTER, BRAVE, TABU, THE HURT LOCKER, MOON, FISH TANK, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, MAN ON WIRE, CONTROL, KNOCKED UP, RATATOUILLE, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and BILLY ELLIOT.

EIFF is supported by Creative Scotland, the BFI (with National Lottery funding), and the Scottish Government through the Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, the City of Edinburgh Council, and EventScotland.

The Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) was established in 2010 with a mission to be at the forefront of the development of a vibrant and successful film and moving image industry and culture across Scotland and beyond. The CMI currently comprises EIFF, Filmhouse in Edinburgh and the Belmont Filmhouse in Aberdeen.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival Limited is a company registered in Scotland No: SC132453. It is a subsidiary of the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) which is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status with Scottish Charity No. SC006793.